Earth, Wind, and Fire: Aristotle on Violent Storm Events, with Reconsideration of the Terms ἐκνεφίας, τυφῶν, κεραυνός, and πρηστήρ
-
Daniel W. Graham
,
Zachary Herzog
Abstract
Recent studies of Aristotle’s meteorology have often focused on questions of scientific methodology rather than on the empirical accuracy of the explanations. Here we wish to focus on Aristotle’s theory of storms, considering them in their historical context and in light of Aristotle’s theoretical commitments, but testing them in terms of their ability to explain the phenomena in question. Aristotle’s approach to storm events follows a general pattern of “outburst” theories proposed by Presocratic thinkers, in which wind, fire, and the like burst out of clouds. Aristotle proposes a two-exhalation theory in which a dry and a moist gas arise by evaporation and can conflict with each other. In Meteorologica II.9 and III.1, he provides his own theory of storms. Modern accounts are hampered by a mistranslation of ‘eknephias’ as “hurricane.” We argue that an eknephias is never a hurricane, but in the first place a theoretical construct meant to account for three distinct phenomena: tuphōn, keraunos, and prēstēr, all of which need to be identified more clearly with actual meteorological phenomena than they have been. We identify appropriate phenomena and also propose a phenomenon corresponding to eknephias, which makes sense of Aristotle’s account.
References
Ahrens, C. D. 2003. Meteorology Today: An Introduction to Weather, Climate, and the Environment, 7th ed. Stamford: Thomson.Suche in Google Scholar
Barnes, J., ed. 1984. The Complete Works of Aristotle, Vol. 2. Princeton: Princeton University Press.Suche in Google Scholar
Betegh, G. 2007. On the Physical Aspect of Heraclitus’ Psychology. Phronesis 52: 3–32, https://doi.org/10.1163/156852807x177931.Suche in Google Scholar
Bodnár, I. M. 2002. Theophrastus’ De igne: Orthodoxy, Reform and Readjustment in the Doctrine of Elements. In: On the Opuscula of Theophrastus, edited by W. W. Fortenbaugh, and G. Wöhrle. 75–90, Stuttgart: Franz Steiner.Suche in Google Scholar
Burnet, J. 1930. Early Greek Philosophy, 4th ed. London: Adam & Charles Black.Suche in Google Scholar
Cavicchia, L., von Storch, H., and Gualdi, S. 2014. Mediterranean Tropical-Like Cyclones in Present and Future Climate. Journal of Climate 27(19): 7493–501, https://doi.org/10.1175/jcli-d-14-00339.1.Suche in Google Scholar
Conche, M. 1998. Héraclite: Fragments, 4th ed. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France.Suche in Google Scholar
Couprie, D. L. 2001. Πρηστῆρος αὐλός Revisited. Apeiron 34: 193–202, https://doi.org/10.1515/apeiron.2001.34.3.195.Suche in Google Scholar
Coutant, V. 1971. Theophrastus De igne: A Post-Aristotelian View of the Nature of Fire. Assen: Royal Van Gorcum.Suche in Google Scholar
Cunliffe, R. J. 1924. A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect. London: Blackie and Son.Suche in Google Scholar
Forthofer, J. M. 2019. Fire Tornadoes. Scientific American 321(6): 60–7.10.1038/scientificamerican1219-60Suche in Google Scholar
Freeland, C. A. 1990. Scientific Explanation and Empirical Data in Aristotle’s Meteorology. Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy 8: 67–102.10.1093/oso/9780198242864.003.0003Suche in Google Scholar
Fujita, T. T., and Byers, H. R. 1977. Spearhead Echo and Downburst in the Crash of an Airliner. Monthly Weather Review 105(2): 129–46, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0493(1977)105<0129:seadit>2.0.co;2.10.1175/1520-0493(1977)105<0129:SEADIT>2.0.CO;2Suche in Google Scholar
Furley, D. J., ed. and trans. 1955. “Aristotle: On Sophistical Refutations, On Coming-to-be and Passing-Away [trans. by E. S. Forster].” In On the Cosmos. Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.Suche in Google Scholar
Gilbert, O. 1907. Die meteorologischen Theorien des griechischen Alertums. Leipzig: B. G. Teubner. Reprint Hildesheim: Georg Olms.Suche in Google Scholar
Graham, D. W. 1987. The Paradox of Prime Matter. Journal of the History of Philosophy 25: 475–90, https://doi.org/10.1353/hph.1987.0063.Suche in Google Scholar
Guthrie, W. K. C. 1962–1983. A History of Greek Philosophy, Vol. 6. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.Suche in Google Scholar
Henderson, M., Kalabokidis, K., Marmaras, E., Konstantinidis, P., and Marangudakis, M. 2005. Fire and Society: A Comparative Analysis of Wildfire in Greece and the United States. Human Ecology Review 12(2): 169–82.Suche in Google Scholar
Kahn, C. H. 1960. Anaximander and the Origins of Greek Cosmology. New York: Columbia University Press. Reprinted Indianapolis: Hackett, 1994.10.7312/kahn90334Suche in Google Scholar
Kahn, C. H. 1979. The Art and Thought of Heraclitus. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.10.1017/CBO9780511627392Suche in Google Scholar
Kirk, G. S. 1954. Heraclitus: The Cosmic Fragments. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Suche in Google Scholar
Laks, A., and G. W. Most, eds. and trans. 2016. Early Greek Philosophy, Vol. 9. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.Suche in Google Scholar
Lee, H. D. P., trans. 1952. Aristotle: Meteorologica. Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.Suche in Google Scholar
Louis, P., trans. [1982] 2002. Aristote: Météorologiques, 2nd ed., Vol. 2. Paris: Les Belles Lettres.Suche in Google Scholar
Marcovich, M. [1967] 2001. Heraclitus, 2nd ed. Sankt Augustin: Academia Verlag.Suche in Google Scholar
Miglietta, M. M. 2019. Mediterranean Tropical-Like Cyclones (Medicanes). Atmosphere 10: 1–4, https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos10040206.Suche in Google Scholar
Montanari, F. 2015. The Brill Dictionary of Ancient Greek. Leiden: Brill.Suche in Google Scholar
Mouraviev, S. N. 1999–2011. Heraclitea, Vol. 11. Sankt Augustin: Academia Verlag.Suche in Google Scholar
Robinson, T. M. 1987. Heraclitus. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.Suche in Google Scholar
Ross, W. D. 1923. Aristotle. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Reprinted by London: Routledge, 1995.Suche in Google Scholar
Scorer, R., and A. Verkaik. 1990. Spacious Skies. Victoria: Lothian Books.Suche in Google Scholar
Strohm, H., trans. and comm. 1984. Aristoteles: Meteorologie: Über die Welt. Aristoteles Werke in deutscher Übersetzung, Vol. 12, 3rd ed. Berlin: Akadamie Verlag.10.1524/9783050048765Suche in Google Scholar
Taub, L. 2003. Ancient Meteorology. London: Routledge.10.4324/9780203634288Suche in Google Scholar
Tohidi, A., Gollner, M. J., and Xiao, H. 2018. Fire whirls. Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics 50: 187–213, https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-fluid-122316-045209.Suche in Google Scholar
von Fritz, K. 1938. Philosophie und sprachlicer Ausdruck bei Demokrit, Plato und Aristoteles. New York: G. E. Stechert & Co.Suche in Google Scholar
Wallace, J. M., and Hobbs, P. V. 2006. Atmospheric Science: An Introductory Survey. In: International Geophysics Series, 2nd ed. Burlington, MA: Acaemic Press.Suche in Google Scholar
Webster, E. W., trans. 1931. “Meteorologica.” In The Works of Aristotle Translated into English, Vol. 3, edited by W. D. Ross. Oxford: Clarendon Press.Suche in Google Scholar
West, M. L. 1966. Hesiod: Theogony: Edited with Prolegomena and Commentary. Oxford: Clarendon Press.Suche in Google Scholar
Wilson, M. 2013. Structure and Method in Aristotle’s Meteorologica: A More Disorderly Nature. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.10.1017/CBO9781107337121Suche in Google Scholar
© 2021 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Frontmatter
- Research Articles
- Philosophy’s Workmate: Erōs and the Erōtica in Plato’s Symposium
- Mathematics and Cosmology in Plato’s Timaeus
- Dimensions of Pleasure: A first Detailed Reconstruction of Plato’s ‘Tyrant Number’
- Earth, Wind, and Fire: Aristotle on Violent Storm Events, with Reconsideration of the Terms ἐκνεφίας, τυφῶν, κεραυνός, and πρηστήρ
- Epicurus on Justice ‘In Itself’ (καθ᾽ ἑαυτό) (Kuria Doxa 33)
- From Proto-Sceptic to Sceptic in Sextus’ Outlines of Pyrrhonism
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Frontmatter
- Research Articles
- Philosophy’s Workmate: Erōs and the Erōtica in Plato’s Symposium
- Mathematics and Cosmology in Plato’s Timaeus
- Dimensions of Pleasure: A first Detailed Reconstruction of Plato’s ‘Tyrant Number’
- Earth, Wind, and Fire: Aristotle on Violent Storm Events, with Reconsideration of the Terms ἐκνεφίας, τυφῶν, κεραυνός, and πρηστήρ
- Epicurus on Justice ‘In Itself’ (καθ᾽ ἑαυτό) (Kuria Doxa 33)
- From Proto-Sceptic to Sceptic in Sextus’ Outlines of Pyrrhonism
